AIBU to not buy DD the Xmas present "top of her list" to Santa based on the fact that the reviews are awful?

[sam84uk]

DD has asked for a Hello Kitty camera prices range from £14.99 to £39.99 but all of the reviews for the ones I have seen are awful.

Money is tight and I can't bear to throw money away on something that I know is rubbish and probably won't get used.

WWYD?

[wherearemysocks]

My mum bought one for my dd for her birthday last year - it was shite. Get her another camera with better reviews and some Hello Kitty stickers, once she starts using the camera she'll enjoy it and not worry that its not go the right branding.

What is it with Hello Kitty, its overpriced rubbish most of the time.

[staylucky]

Buy the cheapest one and something else she'll really love. How old is she? A friend takes her DD's round toys r us before they write their Santa lists so they can check out the stuff they'll ask for, v sensible idea!

[ItsonlymeMrsDB]

Depends how old she is ?

Could you not get her a pink camera, and say that FC decided that was the better one ?

Or, just be honest and have a chat before Christmas about "it may not be a HK camera, but one just as lovely", so that she 'realises' herself what you buy is actually what she wanted all along ?

[workshy]

how old is dd?

if you buy it on the basis that it is a toy rather than a camera I don't think it is a bad buy and if santa is alive and well in your house I would go with it but then I am a soft touch

[ohnoshedittant]

How old is she?

If she's old enough to understand I'd explain that the reviews are rubbish and though it looks nice it probably wont work. Maybe offer an alternative, like a normal camera that works well and some Hello Kitty stickers to decorate it or a Hello Kitty case or something.

I'd hope she changes her mind before xmas - it's a way off yet!

If that failed and she was insistent I'd get the cheapest one I could find and be thankful it's only £14.99!

[jamandposterpaint]

How old is your dd?

This may sound a little manipulative, but depending on the age of my dd's, I could very often talk them around to my way of thinking.

Can you look for a bright pink/blue/favourite colour camera instead and 'persuade' her that it's far far better than a 'Hello Kitty camera that's really for babies' (or something along those lines).

[workshy]

I do the toys r us thing!!! lol

it's amazing how much shorter their lists get!

[jamandposterpaint]

x-posted with a few there ...

[seeker]

Why not look at the reviews together and talk about her asking for a different camera instead-or a different hello kitty thing if that's the attraction.

[ItsonlymeMrsDB]

jam

Not x-post...great minds think alike

[KRITIQ]

If it's crap and is likely to break easily, you'll have one unhappy dd soon after Christmas! I like the idea of spending the same money on a more robust camera in the same price range and giving her stickers so she can customise it as she likes.

[sam84uk]

Thanks for the replies.

She's 6 (7 at the beginning of March), Santa is definitely alive and well I'm happy to say. I've been thinking that it would be better to buy her a pink camera, I could probably get a half decent one on offer without the Hello Kitty branding.

She's been flicking through a Smyths catalogue which is where she got the idea from. She had a blue kiddizoom camera one xmas (bought by my Mum) when she was about 2-3 and it ended up shoved in the toybox, I think she was too young for it then really.

I've just noticed you can buy a Hello Kitty camera case so maybe I could get that and a 'no name' camera. She 'lost' her first list to Santa a few weeks ago so I asked her to write another hoping it may get forgotten off the new list but it still appeared (a couple of other things changed though).

I'm hoping she may change her mind by December!

[jamandposterpaint]

mrsDB

[Grainger]

I never buy anything that has shite reviews, so I can see your dilema.

Buy her a decent pink camera and then write a letter from santa explaining that he thought this one was better, yadda yadda yadda.

[sam84uk]

The one she's seen in the catalogue is the £39.99 but we seen the cheaper version in-store elsewhere and luckily she didn't notice it was a different camera so if I have to it'd definitely be the cheaper version (the reviews are truly awful though so I begrudge even paying that TBH).

Some great ideas here though, think I'll definitely try to explain the reviews and maybe try a bit of careful manipulating.

Off to Sainsbury's on Thurs to try and get a few bits in the half price toy sale so I'll see what they have there (if anything) too.

[ItsonlymeMrsDB]

Can you get hold of say, an Argos/Tesco catalogue, ToysRUs book etc, and let her look at them ?

Let her see all the pink ones, if it is THE colour to have ! and have a few casual chats about, "Oh look, this one is much better than the HK one you saw"...

Also, I always tell my DCs that although there are things that they specifically ask for, FC might have a better idea, that they hadn't thought of.

Never had anyone disappointed on Christmas morning yet !

[Grainger]

Orrr...... buy this, take other camera out of the box and she might never know!!

www.amazon.co.uk/Lazerbuilt-Hello-Kitty-HKCCPI-Camera/dp/B002PU9RKW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319585182&sr=8-3&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

There are loads of similar things online.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

I'm another one who talks the dc out of anything that has crap reviews (after a few years of disappointments!) I often gently bring up things they did get that looked great in the advert but were a real let-down, and they acknowledge that (dds 7 and 6. Ds 3.11 and not so easily dissuaded!)

We got a second hand digital camera for dd1 a couple of years ago for £5! Came in a pink case and she loves it, still uses it (although not up-to-the-minute technology, obv.) I really resent spending money on something that I know will be rubbish and that I know they will be disappointed in. Bloody adverts.

[Grainger]

Doh, you already had that idea...

[ItsonlymeMrsDB]

If you google 'pink digital camera' and click on the 'shopping' bit, and then choose the 'low to high' sort option, there are some nice pink cameras under £50, (even a Nikon) if it's any help ?

Can always find one you like then try shopping around to get the best price ?

[Grainger]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Hello-Kitty-Wrist-Strap-Camera-Mobile-Phone-MP3-/180472265558?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a04fc3b56

Would add to the illusion.

[HerdOfTinyElephants]

I suspect you are spot on with your regular-camera-in-HK-case idea.

[startail]

My DD has a lovely Hello kitty camera case, amazon I think.
I would be very weary of very cheap aimed at children cameras and get an "adult" one instead, reading the reviews carefully you should get much better value.
My DD wants an iDuck speaker, the reviews for which are bad, I keep forgetting

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

go onto amazon and they have a camcorder and its really cheap but with good reviews. I have got one for dd and you can upload videos and it takes photos. Slightly cheaper with free delivery. Its not the most expensive thing in the world but it works fine and she might enjoy doing home videos.

www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=red%20camcorder&x=0&y=0&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21#/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mustek+camcorder&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amustek+camcorder

Theres another one for £30 as well.

My dd asked today if she could have a bag which hello kitty from claires. £35. Em NO.

[sam84uk]

Great ideas. Think I'll probably try with the 'wouldn't you prefer a more grown up camera' spiel and take it from there. The HK camera that she's seen in the Smyths catalogue comes with a matching case so the case on Amazon would come in handy and the wrist strap is a great idea too (thanks Grainger).

At least I know I'm not the only one who gets put off by the reviews!